Merger Announcement
Date: Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Merger Announcement:
South Jersey, NJ – New Jersey Rush and South Jersey Elite Barons (SJEB) announced today a partnership agreement that will see the showcase age groups (U15-U19) of the two largest academy clubs in South Jersey merge to form a super club expected to compete on the national stage. The combined college showcase
age groups will operate as SJEB Rush. The two organizations will immediately begin to transition activities by combining the rising birth year 2002 - 1998 teams, with unified service delivery beginning this April for tryouts of the 2016-17 seasonal year. The U14 & younger age groups will remain untouched for this upcoming year and stay as the South Jersey Elite Barons and NJ Rush separately. NJ Rush teams out of Hamilton Township, NJ will also be unaffected by the merger.
By combining forces, SJEB Rush will provide the highest level of competitive soccer for South Jersey players in their college showcase years on both the Boy’s and Girl’s sides. In addition to providing opportunities for players at the highest levels to compete on the national stage, SJEB Rush will offer multiple high level teams at each age group, allowing for a custom fit for all serious players looking to showcase their talents for college coaches.
Benefits of Merger:
* Competition - The overall quality and depth of teams will dramatically improve, allowing teams to become stronger and more competitive on the national level. The increased number of talented players combined with top level coaching and professional training environments will prepare them for the next level.
* Professional Coaching Staff - Staff coaches are highly credentialed and experienced with high level coaching licenses/degrees and college and/or professional playing experience. There are also college head and assistant coaches on staff to help mentor members through the college search & recruitment process.
* Facilities – SJEB Rush will serve a larger geographic area which will increase accessibility to training centers and service a broader group of quality players. The club will now occupy several of the best facilities in South Jersey including: Tuckahoe Turf Farm; Total Turf Experience; Camden Catholic High School; Rowan University; Gloucester Township Community Park & other facilities to be announced.
* Enhanced Resources - By combining our resources administratively, structurally & developmentally, we will become more efficient, providing more opportunities for our players and staff.
* Opportunity - Separately, SJEB and NJ Rush were among the top clubs on the East Coast. By combining our teams, coaches and resources, we will be able to better provide for our players through College Recruitment, Talent Identification Programs and Club support for our families.
“This is truly a win-win opportunity for all sides. By combining our player pools and talented coaching staffs, the club is better prepared to become a force on the national level,” said Don D'Ambra, SJEB Executive Director. “Currently, many of the top players in our area are traveling an hour or two to other academies outside of South Jersey. Our goal is to provide an opportunity for local kids to compete at the highest level of competition right in their back yards. Our clubs have been competing against each other for years, and with U.S. Soccer's new age mandates, this is the perfect time for us to become stronger together and provide more opportunity for our players."
“This is a major milestone for youth soccer in South Jersey, collaborations of this magnitude don’t happen very often and there is no doubt that the winners here are the players in South Jersey and the surrounding areas,” said Sandeep Mehtani, NJ Rush Executive Director. “What really makes this a special opportunity for our players is the strength of our combined coaching staff. Individually both clubs have some of the best coaches in New Jersey, but the combined staff may be the highest profile staff of any club on the East Coast. Our combined staff will have multiple A-licensed coaches, multiple college head coaches and assistant coaches and multiple ex-professional players. The experience is going to provide unparalleled training and opportunity for our players.”
For more information or to register for 2016-17 tryouts, visit our website at www.SJEBRush.org